Spring starting devices for miniature engines and the like



Dec. 1, 1964 v. M. GAROFALO 3,159,154

SPRING STARTING DEVICES FOR MINIATURE ENGINES AND THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III 25 45 6 FIG.4 26 2 g/VENTOR.

3| L VITO M. AROFALO Y BY Q FIG. 3 HIS ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1964 v. M. GAROFALO 3,159,154

SPRING STARTING DEVICES FOR MINIKTURE ENGINES AND THE LIKE Filed March 20. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iiiiii Q r FIG. 7

EN TOR INV VITO M. GAR LO 'BY 41/, n,

' ATTORNEY HIS United States Patent 3,159,154 SPRING STARTING DEVICES FOR MIN ATURE ENGINES AND THE LIKE Vito M. Garofalo, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Louis Cohen, hicago, Iii. Filed Mar. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 96,825 16 Claims. (Q1. 123179) This invention relates to starting devices for internal combustion engines and more particularly to mechanical starters for miniature high speed engines used to propel hobby vehicles such as airplanes, automobiles, boats and the like, although it may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes. This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending patent application Serial No. 73,758 filed December 5, 1961, now Patent No. 3,131,682, issued May 5, 1964.

It contemplates more especially the provision of an even more simple, dependable and as safe an engine or motor starting device for toy and hobby craft than hereto fore provided and which embodies all of the advantages disclosed in my copending application at a fraction of the production expense that is all important in miniature devices for hobby purposes.

Known starters for toy or hobby engines or motors embody springs, pull strings, clutches and other expedients which either are expensive in production requirements or if simple rely upon the operator to hold the spring Wound rotor with their fingers until released to permit the loaded spring to initially drive the rotor until the motor or engine is started and takes over the driving or rotating function responsive to the ignition of the fuel supplied to the cylinder in a variety of known methods. This means that some degree of caution and precaution is necessary in either pulling the string or cord without encountering the prop or other moving parts in the path thereof or effecting a clean manual release to avoid injury to the fingers. Further, in the use of a pull-string starter there is a constant possibility of string rupture or the displacement of the finger grasping end of the string or cord toward the prop or propeller or other moving parts in proximity thereto depending upon the vehicle to which the engine or motor is fitted. This could and at times does result in operating failures and injury to the fingers of the user or operator who may not be as careful as the maneuver requires or is subjected to the nuisance and expense of replacing the pull-string or cord. In competition, this hazard is especially embarrassing and has been an influencing factor in the refusal of experienced contestants to adopt mechanical starters of all types.

With the teachings of the present invention, all of these disadvantages including the comparatively more expensive construction of my copending disclosure which is deemed to possess many advantages except minimum production costs that are important in that area involving novices who purchase the least expensive miniatures. However, both of my inventions provide simple, dependable and ultra-safe mechanical starters which do not involve pull-strings or cords nor require the operators fingers to hold the loaded spring starting prop or moving parts on the engine or motor and its starter for release to initiate the poweroperation thereof. A control mechanism is provided in conjunction with simple and effective starting mechanisms or instrurnentalities which efiectively hold loaded spring starters and remotely release these instrumentalities to avoid finger injuries entirely, insure starting with every attempt in the correct direction against any possible reversal which sometimes occur even in glow fuel type engines upon starting attempts and enables a novice to start the engine with every attempt with as much facility as an experienced user or operator.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the "ice construction and reduce the number of parts in devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide improved and less expensive starting instrumentalities for engines of the type mentioned.

Still another object is to provide a mechanically releasible loaded spring miniature engine starter in connection with craft such as but not limited to model airplanes, boats and automobiles operated by hobbyists for amusement and competition.

A further object is to provide a remotely controlled spring for loading and unloading to start miniature engines or motors without entailing a large number of parts.

A still further object is to provide a mechanically controlled spring for loading, unloading and controlled release to start miniature power operated engines or motors by direct engagement and disengagement with the crak shaft simultaneusly with the operation of the remote control means.

Still a further objectis to provide such a starting instrumentality without the intervention of many parts such as embodied in a clutch mechanism usually employed as a retainer for the loaded spring.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrated embodiment of the present invention. i

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a miniature airplane embodying a starter for an engine of the type comprising the teachings of the present invention, parts thereof being broken away to clarify the showing.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 11-11 of FIGURE 1, with the starter spring in operative position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View of the plate member associated with the prop and taken substantially along line IIIIH of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the prop plate member showing the surface formations to cooperate with the spring end and remote control retainer instrumentalities, the spring end hook being shown engaging the plate.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line VV of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the prop plate member similar to FIGURE 4 with the hook end disengaged from the plate camming surface abutment as the engine or motor starts on its own power.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 but with the control elements such as the spring end hook and control retainer out of engagement with the prop plate member while the engine is in rotation under its own power.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view in elevation of the prop plate member taken substantially along line VIII'VIII of FIGURE 7.

The structure selected for illustration is not intended to serve as a limitation upon the scope or teachings of the invention, but is. merely illustrative thereof. There may be considerable variations and adaptations of all or part of the teachings depending upon the dictates of commercial practice. The present invention comprises a starter mechanism for a low mass and high speed internal combustion engine or the like applied to any suitable vehicle such as but not limited to a model airplane 10 to which an engine or motor 11 is fitted in a manner well known in the art for many years. A rotatable member such as a crank shaft 12 extends from the motor block 11 for power operation responsivethereto in order to revolve, in this instance, a prop orpropeller' 13 thereon and V sion of the design and configuration of the airplae fuselage extending through a nose portion 14 comprising an extenareal.

10, neither of which are a part of the present invention defines a tubular axial sleeve 19' that is press-fitted on the annular end 17 of the motor sleeve 18. A circular plate member 20 with an axial opening 21 therein, is press-fitted onto a knurled cylindrical or as shown on a complemental polygonal shoulder 22 provided on the' extremity of the rotatable member or crankshaft 12. The

plate member has, in this instance, the prop or propel? ler 13 disposed adjacent thereto for retention on the rotatable member 12, in this the crankshaft, by means of a threaded fastener stud 23. It should be noted that on model vehicles which do not employ a prop or propeller, there would be substituted an enlarged circular finger manipulating member which is preferably though not essentially knurled to provide for finger rotation This could be a flywheel for which the propeller 13 serves in the matter of a model airplane It} to provide the necessary load in order that the motor 11 should be safe against excessive speeds of rotation which is usually termed running away with itself.

As shown, the plate member 20 is, in this instance,

provided with an annular circular groove 24 in the face.

25 thereof which confronts the spring housing 16 andcommunicateswith an annular spring confining chamber 19 the'reim A convoluted cylindrically shaped spring 26 is confined in the annular chamber 19 of the housing 16, and in this instance is provided witha linear and rearwardly projecting extremity 27 that extends through an aperture 28 in the end wall of the housing 16 to serve as an anchor therefor. The other extremity of the spring 26 terminates in a laterally projecting hook 29 disposed in the annular or circular groove 24 in the face of the circular member or spring loading plate 20. It should be noted that the annular groove 24 is provided with a spirally-shaped camming surface 30 starting with a low edge 31 (FIGURE 3) and ending, in this instance with a gradually raised surface which terminates in a comparatively high abutment edge 32 approximately, in this instance, one hundred and eighty degrees from or substantially diametrically opposite to the low starting edge 31 of the spiral surface 30 of the annular groove 24 which is in confronting relation with the spring hook 29. The spring hook29 normally engages the high abutment edge 32 of the spiral surface 30 when the plate member 20 is stationary or manually rotated in a clockwise direction (viewed from the propeller end therefor a counterclockwise direction viewed from FIGURES 3 and 7) so that further rotation of the propeller 13 in the same direction with the fingers of the attendant for manual loading of the spring 26 to store the built-up opposite turning energy therein by the controlled release thereof in a manner to bemore fully described hereinafter.

The instant the manually Wound spring 26 is released in a manner which will more fully appear hereinafter,

the engine parts are rotated oppositely to the loading directional rotation of the spring 26, and the engine or motor 11 will start responsive to the combustion of the glow fuel therein when the cylinder head of theengine (not-shown) is connected by lead wires to a battery and the needle valve fuel control is properly adjusted in'accordance with well known and standard practices in this art. It should be noted that the starting spring 26 does not occupy the entire length of the housing chamber 1% (FIGURE 2) but allows for longitudinal movement therein to position the spring hook 29 to be displaced in and out of engagement with the high abutment edge 32 of the camming surface 30 as willpresently appear. To this end, the spring extremity 27 is of sufficient length to register withthe aperture 28in the rearward end of the spring chamber 19f in either extreme position of displacement of the spring 26 either forwardly or rearwardly so the spring hook 29 will respectively be in the path of the camming surface abutment edge 32 or removed from the path thereof to afford the unwinding or deenergization of the loaded spring 26 to turn over the motor and start its operation responsive to the ignition of the glow fuel in the cylinder head above the piston (not shown) in a manner Well known in the art.

In order to retain the relatively rotating parts in operative or potentially operative position with the spring 26 partially or wholly loaded by manually turning the plate 20 at a low speed of spring winding rotation, control retainer means such as a rod 33 (FIGURES 2 and 7) having a rounded projecting extremity 34 is slidably mounted in a bore 35 through the spring housing 16 along a position parallel to its axial sleeve 17. A compression spring 36 envelopes the rod 33 between a shoulder 37 thereon and a reduced bore end shoulder 38 in the housing 16 to normally spring urge the retainer and release rod 33 in the direction of the platemember 20 to engage the inner surface 25 thereof. To this end, the plate member surface 25 is provided with a plurality of pawl-like engaging ratchet teeth 39, in this instance three, which are in the path of and engageable by the control detent end or extremity 34 to retain the plate member 20 stationary and against rotation in the direction opposite to the wind ing rotation or loading of the spring 26 while permitting its rotation for that purpose to load the spring 26 by hav= ing the rod detent 34 spring urged against the ratchet teeth 39 to ride thereover in the direction away from the high side or abutment end of the ratchet teeth 39.

It should be noted that the retainer-release rod 33 extends rearwardly through the housing 16 to terminate, in this instance, in an enclosed loop 40 which enables the retainer-release rod 33 to be remotely actuated or adjusted by any suitable means such as a vertically disposed ,Wire member or shaft 41 having a laterally offset portion 42 with a straight end 43-44 provided with suitable sleeve or buttons 4546 which project through the upper and lower surfaces of the fuselage or body 10 which preferably though not essentially have inwardly projecting guide bosses formed therein such as the reinforced bored bosses 47-48. By shifting the shaft 41 upwardly as shown in FIGURE'7, the retainer or release rod 33 is permitted to bedisplaced forwardly toward the plate member 20 under the urge of its spring 36 for engagement with the surface ratchet teeth 39 and thus permit the plate member 20 to be manually rotated in a clockwise direction viewed from the propeller end. This is accomplished in the case of a model airplane by rotating the propeller itself While in avehicle which does not have a propeller such as an automobile, the plate member 20 or a flywheel usually used as a substitute therein would be rotated dirrectly by finger manipulation thereof. The rod detent 34 would thus hold the plate member 20 and housing 16 in any position or extent of spring loading by manually twisting the plate'member 20 to the desired extent or preferably until the spring 26 is fully loaded.

The starter assembly 15 is thus ready forthe effective starting of the motor 11 by depressing the button 45 downwardly and disengaging the detent 34 from the plate member 20, and permitting the loaded spring 26 to rotate the plate memberztl in an opposite direction at a speed and force sufiicient to start the :operation of the motor 11 under its ownpower to continue the rotation of the rotatable member or crankshaft 12. At this point of spring release by depressing downwardly the top button 45 and its shaft 41 with its offset 42, the. release rod 33 is displaced rearwardly to remove its rounded extremity 34 from the path of the ratchet teeth 39. Simultaneously, the enlarged enclosed loop 40 on the other extremity of in the path thereof, to move rearwardly Within the housing spring chamber 19 by reason of the spring hook 29 riding over the spiral surface away from the high side of the abutment end 32 thereof in the annular groove 24 of the plate member 26. This removes the spring hook 29 from the path of the abutment end 32 and the spiral surface 30 to eliminate friction and wear while the motor 11 is operating under its own power.

When the lowermost button 46 of the remote release control is elevated, however, the rod 33 is displaced forwardly through the consequent movement of the shaft 41 and its oifset'42 through the enclosed loop 40, both the unloaded spring 26 and the retainer rod 33 are displaced forwardly and in this operation the rod loop engages the spring end 27 so that its hooked opposite end 29 is again in the path of the high abutment end 32 of the spiral camming surface 30 while the extremity 34 of the retainer rod 33 is in the path of the plate ratchet teeth 39. This enables the prop 13 or its counterpart such as a flywheel in a miniature automobile or model boat, to be turned manually in increments to re-load the starting spring 26 without the exercise of any care in precluding the unwinding thereof as the retainer rod 33 automatically engages the ratchet teeth 39. Thus, the par-ts will again be in their initial position in readiness for manually loading the spring 26 and repeating the motor starting operation by releasing the plate engaging detent 34 by depressing the button which is so far removed from the propeller 13 and thus never endangers the fingers of the operator. This is made possible because the prop or propeller 13 is never held by the fingers at the moment of release to start the motor shaft 12. Then, too, the spring 26 can be maintained loaded for any desired interval and by depressing the control button 45 the engine or motor 11 will be mechanically started to give instantaneous operation.

With this arrangement of parts, a remotely positioned retainer-release is provided which insures complete safety, provides for dependable starting without any required timing or skill, and enables the starter to be loaded in readiness for motor starting at anytime without advance preparation. This insures momentary readiness which is important in contests and other exhibitions; however, the ultra-safe use of a starter of this character by novices and the unthinking without any requirement for the exercise of care or previous experience is of utmost importance. The simplicity of the arrangement and the construction of the parts that are comparatively few in number, is of utmost importance. This further simplification of parts and construction affords maximum dependability and is conducive of continued operation without any servicing requirements over extended periods without any recurring potential failures such as. experienced with pull-string starters and finger release spring loaded starters which are not entirely safe nor dependable and involve a more complicated and costlier structure.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it must be understood that my invention is capable of considerable variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A starting device of the character mentioned comprising in combination with a motor andcasing, of a rotatable member operatively connected for reversible rotatable member depending upon the latters direction of rotation, said spring means being disposed concentrically of the axis of said rotatable member for operative and inoperative shifting axially thereof responsive to the direction of rotation of said rotatable member, and externally accessible means for connecting and disconnecting said motor casing and said rotatable member to rotation within said motor casing, spring means disposed respectively enable the manual loading and unloading of said spring means'to start motor operation, whereby said spring means becomes inactive and said rotatable member revolves independently thereof.

2. A starting device defined in claim 1 wherein said spring means has an end hook and said rotatable member is provided with a cooperable engaging complement thereof for engagement therebetween responsive to the shift of said spring means in one direction and disengagement responsive to shifting in an opposite direction responsive to displacing said externally accessible control means.

3. A starting device defined in claim 2 wherein the rotatable member is provided with unidirectional ratchet teeth for cooperation with a manually shiftable retainer pawl associated with said motor casing.

4. A starting device defined in claim 3 wherein said retainer pawl is operatively connected to said externally accessible control means to synchronize the shift of said spring means with its shifting of said retainer pawl for operative loading of said spring means.

5. A starting device defined in claim 1 wherein said externally accessible control means operatively connects or disconnects said rotatable means and said motor casing to maintain said spring means loaded or permit the unloading thereof respectively.

6. A starting device defined in claim 3 wherein said externally accessible control means comprises a shaft projecting through said motor casing, an offset on said shaft to operatively engage said retainer pawl associated with said motor casing, and spring means for urging said retainer pawl in the direction of said ratchet teeth.

7. A starting device of the character mentioned comprising in combination with a motor and casing, of a rotatable member operatively associated with said motor for power operation and rotation relative to said casing, said rotatable member having a fiat surface, a spring confining housing in said motor casing to communicate with the flat surface of said rotatable member, there being a camming surface on said flat surface to define an abutment, a spring mounted in said housing for axial displacement therein, said spring having a terminal end for engagement with said abutment when said spring is in its extreme position toward said rotatable flat surface, and control means in said motor casing and projecting exteriorly therefrom to shift said spring toward said rotatable flat surface, said camming surface serving to shift said spring in an opposite inoperative position away from said abutment when said control means is in a predetermined position, and means for maintaining said rotatable member in predetermined increments of rotation for manual winding of said spring in a direction opposite to th power rotation of said rotatable member.

8. A starting device defined in claim 7, wherein said spring is disposed concentrically of said rotatable member and means are provided to manually shift said spring and said increment maintaining means to operate simultaneously to manually wind said spring and to effect the release of said rotatable member for rotation by said spring.

9. A starting device defined in claim 8 wherein said increment maintaining means include unidirectional ratchet teeth on said rotatable member and a retainer pawl associated with said motor casing for cooperation with said ratchet teeth.

10. A starting device defined in claim 9 wherein said retainer pawl is slidably mounted in said motor casing, a spring enveloping said pawl for shifting said pawl in the direction of said ratchet teeth for engagement therewith, and control means are manually operable to shift said pawl and said rotatable member engaging. spring to inoperative positions to efiect the power operation of said rotatable member within said motor casing.

11. A starting device defined in claim 10 wherein the control means include exteriorly accessible finger depressing buttons to effect the shiftingthereof,

12. A starting device of the character mentioned for a model high speed-low mass engine of the type having an engine power rotated'propeller shaft and a plate member rotatable relative to a stationary portion of the engine, a coil spring member enveloping said propeller shaft, means for permanently anchoring said coil spring member to the stationary portion of the engine, the free end of said coil spring member being provided with hook means confronting and disposed proximate to said plate member, unidirectional hook interengaging means on said plate member in the path of said spring hook means for operative engagement therewith to manually load and store energy in said coiled spring member for urging said shaft to rotate in a normal direction to simultadefined in claim 12 wherein said interengaging means on said plate member comprises camming grooves defining unidirectional spring hook engaging abutments.

14. A starting device of the character mentioned and defined in claim 13 wherein the stationary portion of the engine is provided with shiftable retainer mean for cooperation with said shaft rotating means to maintain said coiled spring partially or fully loaded.

15. A starting device of the character mentioned and defined in claim 14 wherein exteriorly accessible remote control means cooperate with said shiftable retainer means to effect the release thereof in starting the engine responsive to the loaded coiled spring. 5

16. A starting device of the character mentioned and defined in claim 15 wherein the shiftable retainer means ,serves to position the coiled spring so that its hooked neously start the engine and disengage the spring mem:

ber hook interengaging means therefrom, whereby the direction of rotation of said propeller shaft controls the I loading of the spring member or renders such operative to start the power operation of the engine.

13. A starting device of the character mentioned and free end is normally maintained in the path of said camming groove abutments for normal directional engagement therewith or reverse directional disengagement. 

1. A STARTING DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER MENTIONED COMPRISING IN COMBINATION WITH A MOTOR AND CASING, OF A ROTATABLE MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED FOR REVERSIBLE ROTATION WITHIN SAID MOTOR CASING, SPRING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER AND SAID MOTOR CASING FOR SELECTIVE OPERATIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID MOTOR CASING AND SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER, UNIDIRECTIONAL MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID MOTOR CASING AND SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER FOR CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING SAID SPRING MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID MOTOR CASING AND SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER DEPENDING UPON THE LATTER''S DIRECTION OF ROTATION, SAID SPRING MEANS BEING DISPOSED CONCENTRICALLY OF THE AXIS OF SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER FOR OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE SHIFTING AXIALLY THEREOF RESPONSIVE TO THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER, AND EXTERNALLY ACCESSIBLE MEANS FOR CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING SAID MOTOR CASING AND SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TO RESPECTIVELY ENABLE THE MANUAL LOADING AND UNLOADING OF SAID SPRING MEANS TO START MOTOR OPERATION, WHEREBY SAID SPRING MEANS BECOMES INACTIVE AND SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER REVOLVES INDEPENDENTLY THEREOF. 